Lloyd Kahn is the editor-in-chiefof Shelter Publications, an independent California publisher.Shelter Publications specializes in books on buildingand architecture,as well as health and fitness.Lloyds latest book is Tiny Homes on the Move: Wheels and Water.For more info, see: www.shelterpub.comLloyd Kahn is the editor-in-chief of Shelter Publications, an independent California publisher. Shelter Publications specializes in books on building and architecture, as well as health and fitness. Lloyd’s latest book is Builders of the Pacific Coast. For more info, see: www.shelterpub.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lloydkahn

Above: tidy, tight, trim building in Coupeville, Washington. I love the colors.
Get into Seattle around 11AM yesterday, go to pick up my Budget economy rental car and get upgraded to a blue Mustang since they are out of economy cars. Vawoom! I head to Mukliteo to catch the ferry to Whidbey Island, since I want to go to Anacortes to check out fishing boats. (I'm looking for an aluminum boat in the 15-17' range that can handle getting out through waves.)
Pretty soon I'm driving down the road on Whidbey with all 9 of the radio stations preset to R&R and jazz. Brand new road -- nothing like it. Exploring the unexplored, hunting with cameras. The Stones , Thelonius Monk, a — get this — reggae song in Spanish, within fiddles, on the French (Canadian) station, Da me ague, da me pan, da me fuero, da me amor, terrific song, but can't find it anywhere… I ask a guy on the ferry about a place to get lunch and he recommends Toby's Tavern in Coupeville, a gem of a tiny town on the water. A 70-year-old good-vibes, good-beer, good-food bar looking out on the bay. I have a few (ahem) glasses of inky Black Butte porter (on tap) and local mussels with garlic bread. Visit the local bookstore, get a maple nut (homemade-style) waffle ice cream cone, crank the Mustang back up, crank the radio back up, and make my way to Anacortes. The elephant (of concrete) was just in a field all alone. Kinda perfect. Now it's Thursday morning, and I've sussed out the La Crema Cakes bakery in Anacortes, with an excellent apple turnover and a latte and wi-fi. Right now, Johnny Otis' band on radio doing Willy and the Hand Jive…I know a cat named Way Out WillieHe's got a cool little chick named Rockin' MillieHe can walk and stroll and Susie QAnd do that crazy hand jive too…